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Aussies restricted from offshore betting

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I doubt there would be many who bet with the NZ TAB so probably no real effect, but saw this in a punting group I am in. In essence it seems Australian law has prohibited Aussies from betting with offshore agencies.

This is the post from a member:

The Australian Interactive Gambling Amendment Act (the IGA) has recently been passed. The effect of the IGA is that international wagering providers (such as the NZRB) will be prohibited from providing gambling services (including racing and sport betting) to persons present in Australia, unless the relevant international wagering operator holds a licence under the law of an Australian Territory.

The effect of this is that, from 13 September 2017, TAB New Zealand is no longer able to offer wagering services to any person who is physically located within Australia. From this date onwards, it will not be possible to access the TAB Website, Mobile App or Phone betting channels from Australia.

Our records show that the address registered against your TAB Betting Account is located within Australia. If this information is correct and you are located within Australia, TAB New Zealand will no longer be able to offer its wagering services to you.

If the address information registered against your TAB Betting Account is incorrect and you are not located within Australia, or if you are located in Australia (but on a temporary basis only), please contact our Customer Service team by email at helpdesk@tab.co.nz to update your details.

If you are permanently located in Australia, and there are funds held in your TAB Betting Account which you will no longer be able to use, we can return these funds to you in full by cheque. Please get in touch with our Customer Service team by email at helpdesk@tab.co.nz if you'd like to arrange the return of your funds.

Is this the same sort of thing that the Racing Amendment is trying to do for NZ punters? Effectively stopping leakage by restricting us from betting offshore?

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Then why are they writing advising all their Australian customers and telling them to contact them to get the funds from their NZ TAB accounts?

Of course they can't get a licence in Australia because of their agreement with TABCORP. That essentially is their licence but they decided to be clever and operate independently directly with Australian customers.

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Of course they can't get a licence in Australia because of their agreement with TABCORP. That essentially is their licence but they decided to be clever and operate independently directly with Australian customers.

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This is ridiculous to NZRacing plan. Everyone should be allowed bet with nz tab, nz tab only wants to stop leakage one way :-)

If I read the opening post correctly isnt it the an Australian amendment to their gambling act which is stopping people betting through the NZ TAB nothing to do with NZ not wanting or allowing people to bet with them. Australia have obviously put a block on people who try to connect with betting sites outside Aus. I am sure NZ would want punters anywhere to bet with them .

I am one of those who from today cannot reach the NZTab website. Not that I do much betting through them preferring to use the local TAB which is commingled with NZ so the tote divs are the same. What I will miss is their race form which is far superior to anything in Aus and being able to look at Fixed Odds early to see where the smoke is. Fixed odds over here are lucky to be up an hour before the meeting and by then the opening FOs of NZ will be very different.

It is an Australian initiative designed to stop leakage overseas NZ probably being only a small fish in this. It will be the thin end of the wedge before the Ausie corporate bookies are squeezed out bringing Aus more into line with the successful racing jurisdictions ie, Hong K, Japan and Singpore. There is already talk this will be happening and this today is the first step.

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The likely outcome is that NZTAB will have to do without the direct turnover of Australian punters. I don't think there is anything to solve. Australia have done the same thing (albeit it in a somewhat different and I'd suggest more effective and practical way) as the NZRB are trying to do with the proposed amendment to the Racing Act here. That is stop leakage by preventing or disincentivising local punters from betting with overseas agencies.

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If I read the opening post correctly isnt it the an Australian amendment to their gambling act which is stopping people betting through the NZ TAB nothing to do with NZ not wanting or allowing people to bet with them. Australia have obviously put a block on people who try to connect with betting sites outside Aus. I am sure NZ would want punters anywhere to bet with them .

I am one of those who from today cannot reach the NZTab website. Not that I do much betting through them preferring to use the local TAB which is commingled with NZ so the tote divs are the same. What I will miss is their race form which is far superior to anything in Aus and being able to look at Fixed Odds early to see where the smoke is. Fixed odds over here are lucky to be up an hour before the meeting and by then the opening FOs of NZ will be very different.

It is an Australian initiative designed to stop leakage overseas NZ probably being only a small fish in this. It will be the thin end of the wedge before the Ausie corporate bookies are squeezed out bringing Aus more into line with the successful racing jurisdictions ie, Hong K, Japan and Singpore. There is already talk this will be happening and this today is the first step.

30 Sec fix to still view website etc is a VPN, won't help with betting mind you.

Solution to account is find a relative or mate in NZ to open an account in their name and you bet via VPN.

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The likely outcome is that NZTAB will have to do without the direct turnover of Australian punters. I don't think there is anything to solve. Australia have done the same thing (albeit it in a somewhat different and I'd suggest more effective and practical way) as the NZRB are trying to do with the proposed amendment to the Racing Act here. That is stop leakage by preventing or disincentivising local punters from betting with overseas agencies.

Would our industry leaders been aware of this coming or have the Aussies bowled us another underarm delivery. Surely with our close relations this will be amended otherwise it will be back to 7 k maidens shortly.

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Would our industry leaders been aware of this coming or have the Aussies bowled us another underarm delivery. Surely with our close relations this will be amended otherwise it will be back to 7 k maidens shortly.

Didn't we bowl the first underarm Puha, they're just returning serve aren't they ?

Although their legislation is aimed more at the Asian pirate betting agencies, that said those same Asian agencies will reduce our new legislation to something of an ineffective farce too.

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Racing: New shock law set to cost TAB millions

A shock law change means Kiwis travelling to Australia will find themselves struggling to have a bet on their TAB account or watch New Zealand racing.

And in a move that could cost the New Zealand TAB millions of dollars, all Australian-based punters are now banned from betting with our TAB.

The restrictions came into force on Wednesday as the recently-passed Australian Interactive Gambling Amendment Act became law in Australia.

The law was effectively passed so undesirable betting agencies and exchanges operating outside of Australia - particularly the underground Asian-based sites - could no longer offer betting on sport and racing to Australia-based clients.

But the New Zealand TAB, who has close ties to Australia's Tabcorp through its co-mingling and broadcasting agreements, have been caught up in the law.

The new law means any betting agency not holding a licence under the law of an Australian territory, and the New Zealand Racing Board does not hold one, faces millions in fines if they allow Australians to bet with them and that agencies directors can face criminal charges.

So the New Zealand Racing Board has been forced to contact all its Australian clients and tell them their TAB accounts are closed.

That alone will cost the NZRB millions in lost turnover but what is impossible to calculate is how much it will cost in turnover from New Zealand punters who are travelling or living part-time in Australia.

As of yesterday, no computer with an Australian IP address will be able to access the New Zealand TAB site. This means any Kiwi punter heading to Australia intending to use a local computer or their mobile phone through a wifi connection will be blocked from using the TAB site, and therefore having a bet.

The one loophole could be New Zealanders travelling to Australia but using their mobile data on a roaming plan, who may still be able to access the TAB site.

NZRB now have to work out how to navigate the problem long-term as it looks certain, with their close Australian ties, they weren't intended to be among the restricted operators but legally they are.

They could apply for an Australian operations licence, which is not cheap, or for dispensation from the block.

But for now, as racing's golden spring approaches, the New Zealand TAB is off limits to those living in Australia or travelling there, which means they also can't watch New Zealand racing on many phones or computers.

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Would our industry leaders been aware of this coming or have the Aussies bowled us another underarm delivery. Surely with our close relations this will be amended otherwise it will be back to 7 k maidens shortly.

The Act has been mooted for a couple of years and a Bill in Parliament for at least a year. It didn't just spring up as a surprise delivery last month.

Whoever wrote the above describing it as a "shock law change" must have been asleep for quite some time.

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I bet John Allen, Glenda Hughes and all the other clowns responsible for pushing the race fields legislation never even contemplated this. Midget is 100% correct it's the obvious response from overseas jurisdictions. They (the NZRB) have opened pandora's box. Serves the board right for placing their industry in the hands of people who have no interest in it or understanding of it apart from feathering their own nests. And rest assured the NZ TAB will be massive losers from this. The legislation which supposedly was going to bring millions to the industry is actually going to cost the industry millions. Well done guys!